Therapeutic North Andover Farm Celebrating 50th Anniversary
BOSTON (CBS) –It's a golden anniversary for one of the first of its kind. Since 1964 Windrush Farm in North Andover has been changing lives, with four-legged therapists. And this week they celebrate their 50th birthday.
The goal of Windrush Farm is to teach children and adults with disabilities that they there is plenty they can accomplish.
"Windrush Farm is an amazing place. The biggest thing I think is to challenge everybody to do more than they think they can," says Mandy Hogan, the Executive Director of Windrush Farm, one of the first therapeutic horse programs in the country.
For 50 years, people with physical and mental disabilities have come to this rural part of the North Shore. Today there's a group from the Amesbury Schools and from Spaulding Rehab North Shore. Jessica Peters has been coming here for three years through Spaulding to ride her horse, Woody.
"I suffered a stroke. I need to work on my leg and I talk to Woody a lot, and it's helping my speech," she says.
Dawn Ripley lost her leg because of diabetes and also rides here as part of her therapy.
"This helps me to strengthen my legs, strengthen my balance, strengthen my gait," said Ripley.
The students from Amesbury have a ball at the farm, but it's really therapy.
"I see a lot of personal growth with them," says Ann Peterson, a Special Ed. teacher in Amesbury.
"You listen to instructions, that's the most important thing our students have learned, to be able to listen and to go and to trust."
The farm's executive director said the organization
"I think the biggest change we see is in their self confidence. Working with a thousand pound creature can be pretty heady stuff. So I think that's pretty inspiring to many of these clients," says Hogan.
People who ride at Windrush also learn to care for the horses and saddle them.
"Windrush Farm and programs like that are really good for people like me because it turns around and lets you know that life doesn't end," says Ripley.
When it started, Windrush Farm had six students. Last year they helped 2,100. This weekend they celebrate their 50th anniversary.
For information about the celebration and the farm, visit their website.
MORE LOCAL NEWS FROM CBS BOSTON
